Archive for October, 2017

ALTUS, Okla. – Shane Smith knew he had to have something special if he were to win in the Central Plains Region of college rodeo.

He has it with Duck, a 12-year-old gelding he brought with him from his home in Wimborne, Alberta, to Western Oklahoma State College. The two came together strong this past weekend to win the tie-down roping title the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Alva.

Shane Smith

“I drew a couple of good calves, and that really helps,” said Smith, a sophomore. “My horse worked really good.”

He acquired Duck half a dozen years ago and began training the little sorrel. His work is paying off, and it’s proof that good ropers need to be good horsemen if they are going to find success in rodeo. It also helps that Smith trusts his mount.

“I feel like I can score a lot better on him than most other horses,” he said. “It gives me a good start and a good advantage.”

He won both rounds, stopping the clock in 9.5 seconds to claim the opener. He then blistered an 8.4-second run in the championship round to win the two-run aggregate by more than a second – that’s a big victory in events timed to the 10th of a second.

Just as important, Smith was joined in the short round by teammate Colton Kofoed of Evanston, Wyo., who finished in a three-way tie for fifth place in the opening round.

“I think we’ve got a really good men’s team,” he said, noting that they face some of the toughest competition in college rodeo while competing in the Central Plains Region. “The competition is good every weekend, so it’s going to be a challenge every time.”

Shayna VanDerLeest

Shayna VanDerLeest knew that before she arrived in Altus. The freshman from Morrison, Ill., opted to compete at WOSC when she saw the facilities the school had for its rodeo program. She put them to use in Alva by placing in both rounds of goat tying and finishing fourth in the average.

“On my long-round run, I knew it was a good one because it felt really smooth,” said VanDerLeest, who stopped the clock in 6.1 seconds to finish in a tie for third place in the round. “I didn’t expect it to be that good.

“I’ve been looking forward to making it to a couple of short goes, and now I got my first one down.”

She found success again in the final round, tying down her goat in 7.9 seconds to finish sixth in the round. It was a strong note to end the four-rodeo, fall portion of the 2017-18 season. Like Smith, VanDerLeest knew she would get the opportunity to mature as a cowgirl because of the school’s commitment to the program.

“I decided to come to school here because they had a lot of the programs I wanted in an ag school, but their rodeo facilities and practice schedule are amazing,” she said. “Comparing it to the other schools I was considering, this was the best.”

Now she and the others are getting their tutelage from a couple of professional cowboys in head coach Jess Tierney, a six-time National Finals Steer Roping qualifier and the reigning Timed Event Championship winner, and Jace Crabb, who has had outstanding success in team roping.

“Jess is doing a fantastic job for us, and that makes me happy that I chose this place,” VanDerLeest said. “In practice, he is very encouraging. He knows all of us have the potential to make the short goes. He also helps us in practice. If we’re not at our full potential, he can help make the change.”

That comes from experience, and the WOSC contestants are getting a big dose of it. Whether it’s practice or just taking other steps necessary, Tierney and Crabb are providing the team with an advantage.

“I think Jess is really good on the mental aspect and helps you learn how to win,” Smith said. “You have to have a good mindset when you go to a rodeo. You can’t win if you’re second-guessing yourself.”

Texan wins BFO-Austin crown and extends lead in Pendleton Whisky World Standings

AUSTIN, Texas – Weston Rutkowski was out for vengeance Saturday night during Bulltober Fest presented by Rodeo Austin, and he took it out on a couple of Spanish fighting bulls.

The Texan’s weekend started with some bad luck when his gear bag was stolen on Friday night as he prepared for the event.

Rutkowski had to scramble to find replacement equipment. He returned to his College Station, Texas, home to get as much gear as possible. His parents delivered an old pair of cleats, and he borrowed enough other things to have himself properly armored and ready to compete against some of the baddest Spanish fighting bulls in the game.

“It was a big event, and I needed to put my foot down on the gas pedal, but I was running pretty hot.” said Rutkowski, who pushed his season earnings to more than $42,000 and increased his lead in the Pendleton Whisky World Standings.

He won his first-round bout with an 87-point fight to advance to the championship round. That’s where he showcased his dominance, almost hovering across the Rodeo Austin Fairgrounds dirt with Rockin’ B & Magnifica’s Cabeza Dura for 91.5 points to win the championship.

“My first bull came out, and I went to his right horn right off the bat, and I could tell he was going to be good,” he said. “He came to me the whole bullfight. He was a great bull, but a younger bull, so he didn’t know a lot and took the fakes real hard.

“My short-round bull was a little hotter.”

Cabeza Dura burst out of the chute and went directly for Rutkowski, who made a flat-footed jump over the bull. From then on, the two combatants went head-to-head for a controlled-yet-wild 40 seconds.

“I threw a fake, and as soon as he went past, he swapped ends,” Rutkowski said of the bull immediately turning around and re-engaging the bullfighter. “That’s when I knew I had the best bull of the night.

“That’s what we train for all year. When you are matched with a bull like that, you better take advantage of him.”

It was a big night for freestyle bullfighting. Not only were there high scores all evening long, but a large crowd gathered at the arena for the wild action.

“For a first-year event, it was really good,” Rutkowski said. “The crowd was packed in there, and it was a great atmosphere all around.”

Other than having all his gear stolen, it was a fairly successful trip to Texas’ capital city. His frustration eventually turned into the motivating factor he needed to come out on top of a talented field of the BFO’s best. Even though he will have to invest a few thousand dollars to replace his gear, he has found the silver lining.

“After I looked for that stuff for an hour, I realized it was gone,” he said. “It’s not the gear that makes you; it’s who you are as a bullfighter. You have to take the punches and roll with it.”

That’s a solid assessment, in the bullfighting arena and life in general.

ALVA, Okla. – Stockton Graves likes what he sees in the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team.

“Both the men and the women are doing outstanding,” said Graves, who witnessed the Rangers men dominate their hometown rodeo this past weekend to win the championship and move into first place in the Central Plains Region. “We consistently have had quite a few kids make the short round all season long and have done well across the board.”

Stockton Graves

The men’s team score 805 points, the most it’s earned through four rodeos this season. They were led by Riley Wakefield of O’Neill, Neb., who earned points in all three of his events: team roping heeling, steer wrestling and tie-down roping. He won the all-around title, as did women’s team member Jenny Massing of Ponoka, Alberta, who earned points in goat-tying and breakaway roping.

Of the men’s points, the lion’s share came in steer wrestling – Alva is already being likened to Checotah, Okla., which is the Steer Wrestling Capital of the World. Cody Devers of Perryton, Texas won both rounds and the average to lead the bulldoggers; Maverick Harper of Stephenville, Texas, placed second and Wakefield third.

“Cody has been a big benefit to the team,” Graves said. “His goal is to win the region, and that’s what he’s doing. Everybody else is just following suit.”

Cody Devers

Also in the mix were Talon Roseland of Marshalltown, Iowa, who finished fifth, and Bridger Anderson of Carrington, N.D., placed sixth.

“I didn’t realize we were doing so good until I saw that we had seven out of 10 bulldoggers in the short round,” Graves said. “I’m really proud of them, because they put it all together.”

That seemed to be the theme, but it was vital for both the men and women in their races toward the regional title. The men now own a 113.33-point lead over the second-place team and will have a four-month break before returning to competition in late February.

Wakefield and his header, Jayden Johnson of Casper, Wyo., finished second in team roping, and Wakefield also captured points for finishing in a three-way tie for fifth place in tie-down roping. He was joined in the short round by fellow tie-down ropers Ethan Price of Leedey, Okla., who finished third in the opening round, and Harper, who placed third in the opener and sixth overall.

Jenny Massing

“I think the main difference in this year’s team are the multi-event cowboys – Riley, Maverick, Bubba (Allred of Kanarraville, Utah) and Ethan – have done a great job of getting points in multiple events,” Graves said. “That helps so much.”

For the women, Massing earned the bulk of her points in breakaway roping. She placed in both rounds and finished tied for fourth in the average. She also finished in a tie for fifth in the first round of goat-tying.

Cassy Woodward of DuPree, S.D., led the barrel-racing contingent by finishing third in both rounds and the average. Ashlyn Moeder of Oakley, Kan., placed twice and finished fourth, while Sara Bynum of Beggs, Okla., placed second in the opening round.

“Jenny has really come around this year,” Graves said. “I think she’s improved most in barrel racing, because she’s got a new horse. Goat-tying has been her main event, but she’s roping really well, too. It’s all coming together for her.”

It seems to be coming around for all the Rangers, and they hope to keep the momentum going their way when the spring portion of the season begins in February.

Cody Sosebee will be on hand to entertain the fans at the inaugural Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock, which takes place Saturday at the Claremore Expo Center.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – There is one good reason Cody Sosebee has been nominated five times as the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Clown of the Year.

He’s funny.

“I’ve always said that it doesn’t matter what you’re selling, if people don’t buy into you, they’re not going to buy what you’re selling,” said Andy Stewart, a ProRodeo announcer who will be the voice of Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock presented by the Kubota Center of Oklahoma. “That’s where Cody is one of the best; he’s such a likeable guy. What you see in the arena is him all the time. He’s not afraid to make fun of himself.”

That’s a key ingredient that Sosebee brings to the table at the inaugural event, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov 4, at the Claremore Expo Center.

“Maybe someone in the crowd is feeling bad about themselves, maybe their job or their body or their marriage,” Stewart said. “When Cody steps into the arena, people tend to relax and think, ‘I feel comfortable with him; he’s just like us.’ Through making fun of himself, we’re laughing at ourselves. That’s a very unique trait that he has that makes him a really special clown.”

In addition to his clowning nomination, the former competitor also has been nominated for the PRCA Comedy Act of the Year two of the past three seasons. But there’s much more to Sosebee than meets the eye. Over his lifetime, he’s competed in nearly every rodeo event possible and was at the top of his game in bareback riding.

It’s part of the life growing up in a family that was heavily involved in rodeo. His father was a pickup man, so Sosebee has been part of the sport as long as he can remember.

“I got into clowning by accident by filling in for guys,” said Sosebee, from the tiny community of Charleston, Ark., just 25 miles east of Fort Smith, Ark. “I didn’t know where I was going to go with my rodeo career when I quit riding barebacks, and it turned into a good living. I get to see the world.”

A born competitor, the clown has made the adjustments he needed to get the true fix after a lifetime of being part of the contest.

“I’ve always been a competitor in anything I did, from football to basketball to when I was in freestyle bullfighting,” said Sosebee, who has been selected to work as the barrelman at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December. “I miss putting my hand in the riggin’ and nodding my head to be 80 points to win the rodeo, but I’m a realist. I’m 43 years old. While most of the guys I rodeoed with have slowed down and have found jobs, I get to be in the arena and get to make a living in rodeo doing something I love.”

Sosebee also plays to his strengths. Bigger than many in the game, he showcases a true athleticism that is rarely seen among men of his stature. It’s comedy at the purest level.

“Having the ability to laugh at myself is probably my biggest strength,” he said. “I don’t take anything too serious. When I’m watching a comedian, the funniest thing I see is when they’re honestly open and having a good time.”

That’s why Sosebee has excelled as one of the premier rodeo clowns in the game.

Ray Carlson will be one of the five men who will be part of the freestyle bullfighting during Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock, set for Saturday, Nov. 4, at the Claremore Expo Center. (PHOTO COURTESY OF TEXAS GREASEPAINT TOUR)

CLAREMORE, Okla. – It takes a special person to stand toe to toe with a raging bull.

Five men who possess that personality will be part of Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock presented by the Kubota Center of Oklahoma, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov 4, at the Claremore Expo Center.

In addition to the action of bull riding and saddle bronc riding, this event that supports the Child Advocates of Northeast Oklahoma will also feature freestyle bullfighting through the Texas Greasepaint Tour.

“This is going to feature Mexican fighting bulls and five guys all going head to head,” said Danny Mathews, president of the tour.

Though not new to rodeo, freestyle bullfighting is going through a resurgence. It’s a classic example of man vs. beast, similar to the days of the gladiators. It’s high energy and dangerous, as the athletes try to maneuver around the agile bulls while staying just out of harm’s way.

“Traditionally we’ve see bulls that weigh 700 to 800 pounds, but the ones we will have in Claremore are going to be 1,300 to 1,400 pounds,” said Jerry Don Galloway, the association’s vice president and one of the original men on the Wrangler Bullfight Tour in the early 1980s. “These bulls are bigger, faster and hotter, and this has gotten bullfighting to where it’s like a danger zone.”

The five combatants are all Oklahomans, and they will battle for the title at the inaugural Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock: Ray Carlson, Tanner Brantley, Colton Moler, Dylan Idleman and J.F. Roch.

Each will battle their bulls for the mandatory 40 seconds. A horn will sound at that point, and the bullfighter will then have another 20 seconds to put the finishing touches on his bout. Scores are based on a 100-point scale, with half being for the bullfighter and half for the animal.

“The original bullfighting tour was started in 1981, because the highlight of every rodeo was the last bull out every night would turn out to be a fighting bull,” Galloway said. “We just cut the sheets and went straight to the showcase by having these bullfights.

“It’s 60 seconds of run for your life.”

The action will be extreme, but that’s what drives the bullfighters. They know in order to win events like this, they must get as close to danger as possible. One misstep could prove costly. Wrecks are likely to happen, but that’s the draw for fans who want to see quality bullfights.

“This will be my first trip to Claremore,” Galloway said. “I think it’s going to be a really fun event.”

Bronc riding is the classic event in rodeo, and it will be a major part of the inaugural Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock on Nov. 4. (RIC ANDERSEN PHOTO)

CLAREMORE, Okla. – It’s the match-ups that oftentimes make up the best story lines for cowboys who ride bucking horses and bulls for a living.

There will be some outstanding ones at Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock presented by the Kubota Center of Oklahoma, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov 4, at the Claremore Expo Center. The event, which benefits the Child Advocates of Northeast Oklahoma, will feature some of the best athletes in the sport.

Not all of them are the cowboys.

“It’s an honor to be part of the contractors that are coming,” said Cody May, who is with Lightning C Cattle Co., a Claremore bull company who has had several award-winners among its herd. “We will be joining some of these other contractors that have had animals selected to the NFR several times.

“It’s an elite thing. Not everybody gets to take their bulls to this event. I’m expecting some great things out of this event.”

Lightning C will be joined by three other top contractors: Pete Carr Pro Rodeo, Big Rafter Rodeo and bull specialist Scott Burruss. All have had their animals at the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale.

The mix of those contractors will make each ride a spectacle. With each ride being judged on a 100-point scale, half the score comes from the animal, and the other half comes from the rider. When the two are in sync, it makes for a wild night.

“I like to see our bulls ridden for a lot of points,” May said. “It makes me think I’m doing my job well, especially if the score is 90 points or above. But you also want to test the cowboys, so you’re going to see some big buckoffs, too. That’s just part of the game.

“To me, I want to see guys win rounds, win the world titles on my bulls.”

That’s why organizer David Petty is bringing in so many livestock producers. He knows the more top-quality animals that are in the mix, the better the action is going to be. It’s attractive to the cowboys and to the fans alike.

“We wanted to focus on the bronc riding and bull riding, because they are cornerstone events in rodeo,” Petty said. “These animals that will be in Claremore will be the best of the best, and that’s exciting.”

Colt Gordon took Braden out of his comfort zone by winning the first two go-rounds and closing the gap. But Braden put the finishing touches to a terrific campaign on Saturday night at the Stephens County Arena. He matched moves with New Frontier Rodeo’s Toy Box for 84.5 points to win the third go-round.

When Gordon bucked off a ride later, that secured Braden’s second year-end championship and third circuit finals average title.

Hardy Braden

“Colt made it a scary race,” said Braden, 28, of Welch, Okla. “I knew he had a good one tonight, and I knew this race was going to be tight. It’s fun and it sure gets your motor running. A guy wants to do his best, but when you have that kind of pressure, you either deal with it or you don’t.

“I like to deal with pressure.”

Braden won $6,531 in Duncan and pushed his 2017 circuit earnings to $25,603.

“My whole goal was to try to make the circuit finals, and things over the summer went great,” he said. “We came in good. I drew one horse this weekend that wasn’t the most desirable, but I tried to make the best of it. I couldn’t ask for anything more. It’s just going to boost me right into the NFR.”

For the first time in his eight-year career, he has earned the right to compete at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s world championship that takes place Dec. 7-16 in Las Vegas. For now, though, he’s going to celebrate the circuit title and placing his name alongside some of the greatest bronc riders in the sport’s history.

“Back when my dad was riding at the circuit finals, you had a bunch of guys that were going to the NFR regularly,” said Braden, whose father, Butch, was a circuit finals’ qualifier before he became a pickup man. “I think it seemed like it slacked off there for a little while, but we’re starting to see it coming back. Plus we’ve got some young guys that are coming up that will be at the NFR before too long.”

Stockton Graves

Steer wrestler Stockton Graves is no stranger to the NFR. He’s been there seven times. For now, though, he focuses on competing in the circuit. On Saturday night, he earned his sixth year-end title and seventh average championship. He won the round with a 4.2-second run. That’s not too bad for a 38-year-old cowboy.

“I don’t feel like a kid anymore,” said Graves of Alva, Okla. “I am just glad to be able to bulldog with these guys. I’m blessed to come in and have a good circuit finals. Duncan’s been great to me.”

Yes, it has. He has won four straight year-end titles, and the last four average championships came inside the Stephens County Arena. It’s like a home away from home.

Those sounds mark the beginning of the bout, and it’s the drawing card for the best in Bullfighters Only to showcase their athleticism. It’s what fans will experience during Bulltober Fest presented by Rodeo Austin, set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28, at the Rodeo Austin Fairgrounds.

Weston Rutkowski

The stand-alone BFO event will feature 12 of the top bullfighters in the game all vying for their share of the $25,000 purse. This is the greatest showcase of action in all of extreme sports, because it’s a true man-vs.-beast competition.

“You just have to go out and beat your bull,” said Weston Rutkowski, the reigning BFO world champion who also sits No. 1 in the standings. “Everything else will take care of itself after that.”

Rutkowski is just one of the 12. They will make up four three-man bouts, and the winners will advance to that evening’s championship round where the lion’s share of the money will go to the BFO-Austin champion.

Beau Schueth

“I’m very excited about Austin,” said Beau Schueth, the No. 4 man in the standings from O’Neill, Neb. “It will be an awesome event, like all of our stand-alone bullfights. There’s an opportunity to make big moves in the standings.

“Winning Austin could change anybody’s season and move them up into the running for the world championship.”

Before the BFO came on the scene, the rewards for bullfighters were small. Now with the explosion of Bullfighters Only, the athletes are finding great benefits for showcasing their talents.

“You know when you get there that you have to show out just to get in the championship round,” said Justin Josey, the 14th-ranked man from Apache, Okla. “You need to be at your very best at these stand-alone bullfights. You can’t fool around, you have to go out there to win.”

That’s a powerful attitude, but it’s a winning one that every man in the field must have. Going head-to-head with an athletic and agile Spanish fighting bull is dangerous business and bullfighters must utilize every ounce of ability and effort to come out on top.

“Every great guy in the BFO is going to be there,” Schueth said. “It’s not like going up against a few of the best guys; they’re all there. It definitely ups the ante and makes you bring your A game.”

DUNCAN, Okla. – Just like a superhero, Steven Dent makes the switch from a man in a walking boot to a champion bareback rider.

Hampered by a broken foot that occurred at a California rodeo a month ago, Dent uses the walking boot to move around until it’s time to ride. He changes into his riding boots and limps onto the bucking chute to get to work.

He made it work Friday night, matching moves with Beutler & Son Rodeo’s High Motion for 84.5 points to win the second round of the Chisholm Trail Ram Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo. He earned $1,802 and pushed his circuit-leading standings total to $22,058. Not bad for a man with a broken left foot.

“It’s cutting down on my working out,” said Dent, an eight-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Mullen, Neb. “I can’t jog or ride a bike. Riding is about the only thing that doesn’t hurt it.”

By riding High Motion, he was reunited with an old friend. He’s been on the veteran bucking horse two times before and recalls vividly winning the Elk City, Okla., rodeo a decade ago. She comes from a strong bloodline: her sire, Commotion, was a three-time Bareback Horse of the Year and has a statue of him in Elk City.

“She’s probably one of the first Commotion colts that became a superstar and went to the NFR,” Dent said. “She’s a little older now. I don’t think they buck her as much, but I think she had a pretty exceptional day.”

It was the perfect redemption from Dent’s first-round ride. He decided to try out a new rigging and new riding glove, and that didn’t work. His hand did not stay locked into position, and that caused him to ride very conservative just to stay on.

“Frankly, I felt stupid,” he said. “I went back to my rigging that I’d been riding with and winning with. I’ll ride with it until the 10th round of the NFR. Hopefully it’ll help me to ride the way I’ve been riding.

“I think this is the best I’ve ever rode. I think I can still ride better. Ten years ago I made my first finals, and I was 21, not 31. I wanted to make the finals (this year), because I feel like I ride better now and, mentally, I’m a lot stronger now.”

With age comes experience, and he’s got a ton of confidence heading to Las Vegas in a month and a half for ProRodeo’s grand finale. But first, he has to finish some business in Duncan.

“I’ve never won the circuit title in bareback riding,” Dent said. “This is the first time I’ve been in this position in bareback riding. I’ve never been to the National Circuit Finals.”

He has a great opportunity before him to reach that goal and get off to a good start to the 2018 regular season.

“This last year I was playing from behind all year, so I thought it would be fun to win some early money and play from ahead,” he said with a laugh.

Andy Stewart will be the arena voice at Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock when it takes place Nov. 4 in Claremore, Okla.

CLAREMORE, Okla. – Andy Stewart looks at his job from many angles.

He is a researcher, a statistician and an entertainer. He has the unique ability to put it all together as one of the top emcees in professional rodeo, an eight-time nominee for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s Announcer of the Year.

He will bring his talents to Claremore as the voice of Claremore’s Extreme Roughstock presented by the Kubota Center of Oklahoma, set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov 4, at the Claremore Expo Center. It will benefit the Child Advocates of Northeast Oklahoma.

“I feel that production is extremely important in the world of rodeo,” said Stewart, now in his 22nd year in the PRCA. “If people get a $20 ticket, then we need to give them $40 worth of entertainment and get the most bang for their buck.”

Part of the attraction to him is that he’s a fan of the sport. In addition to announcing ProRodeos, Stewart has been the arena voice and a television commentator for bull ridings. He’s also a fan of the animals and truly understands the man-vs.-beast mentality that comes with events like this.

“This is going to be a lot of fun, and these guys are going to be riding for good money at a good time of year for them,” he said. “Hunger is a major motivator; it’s a financial motivation for these guys. They’ve got families, they’ve got bills, they’ve got things that they’ve got to pay.”

Stewart knows what it takes to work at an elite level. He works many of the biggest rodeos in the country, including the legendary Cheyenne (Wyo.) Frontier Days Rodeo. One reason is because of his energetic, booming voice. Another is the extra work he puts ahead of each rodeo performance so that he can be the perfect voice of the fans.

For every hour he’s on the microphone, Stewart spends many more going through biographies and background and looking over all the important statistics of each competitor in the show. He understands what it takes to compete at an elite level, and he wants fans to realize it, too. It is, after all, the perfect mix of world-class competition and true family-friendly entertainment.

“I do this because of the people and the lifestyle,” he said. “You’re not going to find a better bunch of people. I have so many friends and extended family all over the country because of rodeo.

“The people are what make rodeo so special. Rodeo offers me the opportunity to go to a lot of places I don’t normally go and see a lot of things I don’t normally see.”